1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed and claimed herein generally pertains to a method and apparatus for loading or transferring data from a spreadsheet into a dynamically created table of a relational database. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method of the above type wherein the uploading or transfer of spreadsheet data is accompanied by security measures, to ensure that the transfer is authorized. In a useful embodiment, the invention pertains to a method of the above type wherein data transferred from a spreadsheet is selectively combined with other data, which was not previously contained in a spreadsheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known by those of skill in the art, a relational database is a database wherein all data is stored in tables. By enumerating a table name, the names of table columns, and the data types of respective column contents, a table in a relational database is completely described. As an important advantage, queries in a table of a relational database depend on a comparison of the table contents. As a result, pointers are not required in such databases, and all relations are treated uniformly. Moreover, the tables are independent and not related by pointers. Accordingly, it is easy to maintain dynamic data sets in a relational database. As a further advantage, tables can be easily expanded by new columns, and it is easy to create user specific views therefrom.
As is further well known, a spreadsheet provides another important mechanism for storing and presenting data. A spreadsheet is especially useful for displaying financial, accounting or other data in rows and columns, wherein the spaces containing respective items of data are called cells. A spreadsheet may comprise a computer application program that simulates a physical spreadsheet by capturing, displaying and manipulating data arranged in rows and columns. Spreadsheets, in fact, represent one of the most common uses of personal computers. In many businesses spreadsheets are routinely used to graphically present financial data.
Notwithstanding the widespread use and popularity of spreadsheets, it is not easy at present to conveniently convert or transfer data from a spreadsheet format to a relational database table. Any such transfer must generally be carried out using a manual or other tedious procedure. As a result, the benefits of having data in a relational database, as described above, do not readily apply to data contained in spreadsheets. This situation makes it difficult to generate reports that, for example, combine financial data in a spreadsheet with non-financial data residing in a relational database table. It would thus clearly be beneficial to provide a mechanism or procedure for easily and automatically loading data from a spreadsheet to a relational database table. The loading procedure would usefully ensure that such procedure was applied only to spreadsheet data that was properly authorized or authenticated for loading.